Method of processing searles lake brine



March 5, 1957 J. v. wlsEMAN 2,784,056

METHOD oE PROCESSING sEARLEs LAKE BRINE Filed Feb. 16, 1953 INVENTOR. James K W/seman 5CH/OFF SUCK, Abg/s.

,4 member off/7e Hrm nited States Patent METHOD F PROCESSHG SEARLES LAKE BRHNE James V. Wiseman, Westend, Calif., assignor to Staulifer Chemical Company, a corporation of Deiaware Application February 16, 1953, Serial No. 337,009 4 Claims. (Cl. 23-39) This invention relates to the treatment of a complex brine such as that found at Searles Lake, California, to recover valuable constituents therefrom. As is well known, the brine of this lake contains many valuable constituents such as sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium sulphate, potassium chloride and borax.

The brine from the lake has been extensively exploited and various methods are known and have been proposed for recovering the valuable constituents from this brine. Suitable methods of recovery of the brine are set forth in Hellmers Patents 1,756,122 and 1,733,537. According to these patents, sodium bicarbonate is rst precipitated from the brine by carbonating the brine and borax is subsequently recovered from the brine.

The original brine recovered from the lake did not contain any appreciable percentage of suliides but, as brines were brought from deeper parts of the lake, suldes, and in particular sodium sulphide were encountered in amounts of from 0.05 to an excess of 0.3% by weight.

The Hellmers process was used for many years and gave very satisfactory results. The carbonating gas used was carbon dioxide obtained from the calcination of lime rock and contained about 39% carbon dioxide. However, as brines were encountered having an appreciable sullide content, the results were not fully satisfactory since hydrogen sulde was released throughout the carbonation and even during the subsequent borax recovery. Further, the source of carbon dioxide was expensive and it was desired to use a less expensive source of CO2, such as ue gas.

Various proposals have been made for alleviating the sulfide diiculty and for employinga cheaper source of carbon dioxide, such as that set forth in the Blackmun Patent 2,567,867. According to this process, the brine was first treated with a gas containing carbon dioxide, such as flue gas, to convert the sodium sulfide to hydrogen sulfide and to sweep the latter from the brine. However, it was necessary to avoid the slightest precipitation of sodium bicarbonate during the treatment with flue gas, since extremely tine, sharp crystals were precipitated; when the brine containing these crystals was further carbonated, the crystals served as seed resulting in a very small needle-shaped crystal in the final carbonation product. This undesirable type of crystal was Wet, slushy and thus diiicult to filter. When filtered, the crystals cor1- tained about 35% adhering moisture, making it diicult to dry and calcine the bicarbonate.

On the other hand, the original Hellmers process had resulted in rather spherical crystals with blunt terminations formed in clusters or rosettes. Such crystals may be filtered readily and contain about 18% moisture and are free running when dry. Further, the precarbonation with flue gas was not fully eifective and hydrogen sulfide was evolved during the further carbonation and even during the borax recovery step and became a serious nuisance.

In processing the sodium bicarbonate recovered, it is customary to calcine the sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate. This produces some carbon dioxide, but` not a 2 suicient quantity to serve as the sole source of carbon dioxide when operating in accordance with the Hellmers patents noted above. Thus, it has heretofore been neces sary lto provide an auxiliary, rich source of carbon dioxide, such as by burn-ing limestone.

It is therefore an Vobject'of the present invention to provide a method for treating Searles Lake brine with a relatively inexpensive lsource of carbon dioxide, such as slightly enriched Hue gas.

Another object of this invention is to-provide a method of carbonating Searles Lake brine to remove hydrogen sulphide therefrom during the carbonation step, so that it will not evolve during the borax recovery step.

A fur-ther object of thisinvention is to provide a method of car-bonating Searles Lake brine wherein the carbonation is effected with flue .gas from processing vthe sodium bicarbonate and is enriched with gas from the calcin'ation of sodium bicarbonate produced in a subsequent stage of the process, so that the process does not depend upon an ex ternal source of carbon dioxide, and is thus self-sulicient.

Still another object of this invention is to provide -a method of recovering sodium bicarbonate from the Searles Lake brine wherein the crystals recovered are relatively large wi-thblunt terminations, easy to filter, and free run- F ning when dry.

In general, the objects of the present invention are accomplished by carbona'tifug the brine with gas containing less carbon dioxide than has heretofore been thought necessary, at an elevated pressure,and with a carefully controlled correlation between the carbon dioxide percentage and the pressure as is hereinafter dened.

According to the present invention, the carbonation of the brine to produce sodium bicarbonate and to free the brine of sulphide is preferably conducted in a single tower. However, the carbonation step may be effected in more than one tower if desired, so that sodium bicarbonate may be taken off in more than one stage.

When using gas of relatively low carbon dioxide content,l it has been found necessary to increase the pressure in the carbonation tower to increase the absorption efli ciency of the carbon 4dioxide and to prevent the precipitation of very ne needle-like crystals. It has been found that the pressure selected must becorrelated with the percentage of carbon dioxide in such a manner that the carbon dioxide will have a partial absolute pressure of at least `Si p. s. i.

Surprisingly enough, it has been found that there is an abrupt change in the type of crystals formed as the partial absolute pressure of carbon dioxide is varied around 8 p. s. i. When carbonating Searles Lake brine at a pressure of 37 p. s; i. g. inlet pressure, the crystals formed were of the tine, needle-like type when the percentage of carbon dioxide was 15%, but when the carbon dioxide percentage was increased to 16%, the crystals were of the blunt type and easy to lter. Since in these tests, the atmospheric pressure was 13.8 pv. sgi., the absolute pressure was 50.8 p. s. i. Thus, 15% car- -bon dioxide represents a partial pressure of 7.6 and 16% carbon dioxide represents a pressure" of 8.13 p. s. i.

Although the pressures and carbon dioxide percentages can beV varied over rather wide A` limits, so long as the partial pressure of the carbon dioxide is 8 p. s. i.` or more, certain practical considerations prevent one from going beyond certain rather narrow limits; Thus, as the carbon dioxide percentage is reduced, one must pump at higher pressures and pump a greater volume of inert gas sor the process soon becomes uneconomic. On the other hand, as the carbon dioxide percentage is increased, the eiciency of the sulde removal falls off and an unduly ri'c'h sou'rc'e' of carbn dioxide is required.v

Further, it is not desirable to operate at pressures much below about 25 p. s. i. g., as the carbon dioxide absorption eiciency drops oif. For these reasons, it is preferred to `operate at carbon dioxide percentages of from' 12% to 25%. Within this range, it is preferred to operate at about 16% to 20% carbon dioxide.

-It has been found that temperature has substantially no eifect on the process at normal operating temperatures of from 20 to 38 C. This is true even when operating at near the critical gas percentages.

The following examples illustrate satisfactory and unsatisfactory conditions of operation:

Example I.-Carbonafion at 25 p. s. i. g. and 20% CO2:

Discharge temperature C 28 Discharge brine titration (10 ml. with NI-IC1) ml 3.7 Filtered bicarbonate:

H2O percent-.. v34.8 NaCl do- .52

Filter cake cracked when solution withdrawn. Spiney crystals. Crystal shape unsatisfactory.

Example 2.-Carbonation at 25 p. s. i. g. and 22% CO2:

Discharge temperature C 20 Discharge brine titration ml-- 4.8 Filtered bicarbonate:

H2O percent 23.2 NaCl do .09

Filter cake did not crack. Crystals small blunt ends. Satisfactory.

Example 3.-Carbonation at 50 p. s. i. g. and 14% CO2:

Discharge temperature ..C.... 36 Discharge brine titration ml 4.5 Filtered bicarbonate:

H2O percent 20.4 NaCl do .12

Crystals filtered easily. vIndividual crystals large, num ber of rosettes reduced from normal. Blunt ends on crystals. Satisfactory.

y Example 4.-Carbonation at 50 p. s. i. g. and 12% CO2:

Discharge temperature C 30 Discharge brine titration ml-- 3.0 Filtered bicarbonate:

H2O percent 24.4 V NaCl do .20

Slight cracking of lter cake when solution Withdrawn. Individual crystals large. Terminations of crystals somewhat spiney. Unsatisfactory.

Example 5.-Carbonation at 37 p. s. i. g. and 16% CO2:

Discharge temperature C 28 Brine alkalinity (l ml. with NHCl) ml-- 5.4 Filtered bicarbonate:

H2O percent 21 NaCl do .112

Crystals with blunt terminations. Satisfactory.

Example 6.-Carbonation at 37 p. s. i. g. Vand 15% CO2:

Discharge temperature C 30 Brine alkalinity( ml. with NHCI) ml-- 4.2 Filtered bicarbonate:

H2O percent-- 30.4 NaCl do .58

Crystals had spiney terminations. lFilter cake cracked. Unsatisfactory.

Each of the above runs was conducted under the following conditions:

A steel column feet high and 16 inches in diameter was set up and tted with gas dispersing baies every four feet. The quantity of gas was regulated at about 9 cubic feet per minute per square foot of tower cross-sectional area. This figure was determined as being suitable from previous operations.

To maintain constant pressure and desired liquid level, a controller with an automatic air operated valve was fitted on the discharge of the column. By measuring the pressure of the gas entering the column, and using this to regulate the liquid discharge rate, a constant liquid head was maintained. The system would hold the pressure to $0.25 pound pressure.

The percentage carbon dioxide desired was maintained by mixing ilue gas with carbon dioxide from the calcination of sodium bicarbonate and feeding the gas into the suction of the gas compressor that was operating the carbonating column. This was held to about 0.5% carbon dioxide.

`Brine was fed into the top of the column at a rate to maintain the proper alkalinity (about pH 8) at the discharge of the column. The alkalinity of the brine discharged with the bicarbonate present should be in the range of about pH 7.5 to about pH 8.5 since in this range alkalinity does not affect crystal shape.

To determine what crystal shape was made at certain conditions, the tower was operated a minimum of l2 hours before it was even presumed that an equilibrium had been established. Even then, the crystals were checked for about l2 hours more to make certain no change had occurred during this period.

In the above Examples 2, 3 and 5, the carbon dioxide was supplied in part from liuc gas derived from the processing of the sodium bicarbonate having a carbon dioxide content of about 12%. The sodium bicarbonate produced was calcined to sodium carbonate and the carbon dioxide so produced was more than suicient to maintain the process. Thus, the process of the present invention is operative with no external source of carbon dioxide. Runs similar to Examples 5 and 6 have been made in columns having diameters of 5 feet and 1l feet with the same results.

In the figure of the drawing forming a part of this specification, there is shown a diagrammatic representation of the equipment used in performing the present iuvention. In the drawing, iiue gas containing about 12% carbon dioxide, from a source 1 is brought through line 2 to compressors 3. The gas is compressed to a suitable pressure, as hereinbefore specified, and is mixed with carbon dioxide introduced through line 5 and passed to the tower 7 by line 4. The carbon dioxide introduced through line 5 is obtained from the calciner 6, which calcines sodium bicarbonate from the process.

The carbonation tower 7 is a gas-liquid contact column and may contain perforated plates, bubble cap plates, saddles or other suitable contact or dispersion means. The tower 7 has a line 8 at the top for discharging the spent carbonation gas which contains hydrogen sulfide and a line 9 for introducing raw brine. A line 10 is provided for withdrawing the carbonated brine which passes to a separator 11. The separator 11 separates the solid and liquid phases of the carbonated brine and discharges the sodium bicarbonate through line 12 to the calciner 6 and the brine through line 13.

I claim:

l. A process for the carbonation of raw Searles Lake brine whereby there is obtained crystals of sodium bicarbonate therefrom, said crystals being large, easily fltrable and having blunt terminations, the process comprising passing a gas containing from 12% to 25% carbon dioxide through the raw lake brine at a temperature of from 20 to 38 C. at a pressure such that the carbon dioxide has a partial pressure of atleast 8 p. s. i. a. to

precipitate sodium bicarbonate therefrom and recovering said sodium bicarbonate.

2. The process of claim l wherein the from 16% to 20% carbon dioxide.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the raw Searles Lake brine contains at least 0.02% suliides as sodium sulfide.

4. A continuous process for the carbonation of raw Searles Lake brine whereby there is obtained from said brine crystals of sodium bicarbonate, said crystals being large, easily ltrable, and having blunt terminations, said process comprising passing through the brine at a temperature of from 20 to 38 C. ue gas enriched with carbon dioxide, said enriched flue gas containing from 12% to 25% carbon dioxide at a pressure such that the carbon dioxide has a partial pressure of at least 8 p. s. i. a., whereby sodium bicarbonate is precipitated from the brine, recovering said sodium bicarbonate, calcining at gas contains Cil least a portion of the sodium bicarbonate to produce sodium carbonate and carbon dioxide and using the carbon dioxide so produced as the sole source of enrichment for the ue gas.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,618,834 Kuhnert Feb. 22, 1927 1,674,474 Kuhnert June 19, 1928 1,751,132 Cummings Mar. 18, 1930 1,865,832 Chesny July 5, 1932 1,865,833 Chesny July 5, 19,32 2,256,962 Reich Sept. 23, 1941 2,567,867 Blackmun Sept. 11, 1951 2,626,852 Byrns Jan. 27, 1953 2,675,297 Gray et al Apr. 13, 1954 

1. A PROCES FOR THE CARBONATION OF RAW SEARLES LAKE BRINE WHEREBY THERE IS OBTAINED CRYSTALS OF SODIUM BICARBONATE THEREFROM, SAID CRYSTALS BEING LARGE, EASLIY FILTRABLE AND HAVING BLUNT TERMINATIONS, THE PROCESS COMPRISING PASSING A GAS CONTAINING FROM 12% TO 25% CARBON DIOXIDE THROUGH THE RAW LAKE BRINE AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 20* TO 38* C. AT A PRESSURE SUCH THAT THE CARBON DIOXIDE HAS A PARTIAL PRESSURE OF AT LEAST 8 P.S.I.A. TO PRECIPITATE SODIUM BICARBONATE THEREFROM AND RECOVERING 